Railway-switch mechanism.



A. J. ALLARD.

RAILWAY SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1911:

Fatented Oct. 16, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

I NVENTOR WITNESSES W A tlorneys A. J. ALLARD. RAILWAY SWETCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.191].

1,243,376 Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES Q 1 my 1 I V Azjrneys 50 Fig. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating the vto the full extent.

HFTQ.

ANDREW J ALLARD, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. ALLARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Richmond, in thecounty of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and, useful Improvements in Railway-Switch Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be. a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switch mechanism and more particularly to meansfor operating the switches of street railways,one object of the invention being to provide switch operating means controllable from the car, which shall be simple in construction; whichshall not be liable tov get out oforder and which shall be positive in action. x

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means for automatically locking the switch point in the position to which it may be thrown and to automatically unlock the switch point. t i

A further object is to so construct the ,locking means that the same will also operate to complete the throwing of the switch point in the event that the switch throwing mechanism fails to move the switch'point -A further object is' to provide separate means for operating the locking device to unlock the switch rail, should it be desired to shift the latter manually. I V

A further object is to so construct and arrange the mechanism that it shall be protected from dust and dirt, and to guard against breaking of the parts in the event of a stone or other obstruction in the switch. ,With these and other objects in View,

the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out inthe claims.

I In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the application of my improvements to a street railway switch; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view with the cover plate of the casing removed;

switch locking means; Fig. 4 is a detail view showing thedevice for unlocking the switch; Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the controlling devices on the car and their relation to the switch operating mechanism; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, Fig.7 isja detail view showing the forward portion of the operating bar 14 and parts carried thereby, and Fig. Sis a detail view ihowing the shoes 34 and mountings thereor. a

1 represents a street railway switch and 2 the pivoted rail thereof. The mechanism for operating the switch rail 2 is located within a box or casing 3 located upon the ties and its upper surface may be level with the treads of the rails. V i

A lever 4. is pivotally mountedon a post 5 secured to a artition 6 in the casing and is prevented rom displacement by a cap plate 7. One end of the lever l is contracted and is disposed between lugs 89 on a switch rod 10,.one end of which latter is connected with the switch rail 2 and its other end guided in a socket 11 in the box or casing 8. The otheror larger end of the lever 4 is notched so as to form a central. tooth 12 and lateral teeth 13, 13.

An operating bar 1 1 is movable longitudinally in suitable guides 15 and is made in two sections separated by a strong spring 16, said,spring acting as connecting means between the two sections and bearing at its respective ends against fixed collars 17 thereon. A link'18 is pivoted at one end to the operating bar 14: and at its other end to a crank 19 on a shaft 20 mounted in one end of the box or casing 3. The shaft 20 is also provided with an arm 21, upon which an arm 22 depending from one end of a ramp 23 bears. The ramp 23 is pivoted at sitions by the action of a spring2 1 which encircles the operating bar and bears at one end against a collar 25 thereon and at its ptlier end against one of the fixed guides 15.

The forward portion of the operating bar 14 is movable under the lever 4 and has pivotally mounted upon it, a triangular trigger 26,'the pointed end of which is normally disposed in proximity to but slightly at one side of the end of the central tooth 12 of the lever 4, and such normal position of the trigger is insured by the engagement of its base end with the adjacent guide 15. The trigger is also retained in and returned to normal position by the action of a spring 27 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The operating bar is slotted, as at 28 for the accommodation of the pivot pin 5 and it is also provided with an extension forming a spring tongue 29 which projects beyond the switch rod 10. This spring tongue is provided at one side with a flange 30, the rear end of which is beveled as shown at 31 and is adapted to be disposed at one side or the other of the lug 8-011 the switch rod 10, and serve to lock the pivoted switch rail in the position in which it may be set. In the event that the operating mechanism fails to fully throw the switch rail, the beveled end of the flange 30 will engage the lug 8 (during the return movement of the operating bar 14) throw. In order that the switch rail may be unlocked so that it may be thrown manually,

spring tongue 29,said pin being held in its normal position with its upper end projecting somewhat above the cover-plate 3 by the action of a spring 33.

The means which maybe provided on the car for controlling the operation of the switch operating mechanism, may comprise levers or shoes 3-1 secured to a shaft 35 mounted in lugs 36 on blocks 37,the latter being adjustably secured to the front truck of the car, preferably to the guard on the truck, The levers or shoes project abovetheir pivotal support and are adapted to engage shoulders 38 on the lugs 36 when said levers are in their vertical operative position. A foot lever 39 is mounted on the platform 40 of' the car and provided with a depending arm 41 connected by a rod 42 (having a flexible section 43) with an arm 44 on the shaft 35. The foot lever is maintained normally in its lower or horizontal position by means of a latch 45, and the levers or shoes 84 are thus normally held in their raisedor inoperative positlons as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. When the foot lever is released from the latch by the foot of the motorman, 'it will be moved to the full-line position by the actionof a spring 46, and the levers or shoes will be caused to move to their vertical operative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 5.

When the car approaches the switch and the switch is not'properly set for the direction. in which the car should travel, the motorman will release the levers or shoes 34 and one of them (according to the direction in which the car may be traveling) will engage the ramp 23 and depress the same. This will cause the bar 14 to move forwardly. and

the trigger 26 to engage the toothed lever 4 and becaused by one of the inclines of the central tooth 12 to move laterally and engage one of the teeth 13. As the bar 14 continues to move forwardly, the lever 4 will be turned on its fulcrum and cause the come reset to operate the switch railin the opposite direction when the ramp is again depressed; and force the switch rail to complete its Slight changes might be made in'the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope and hence I do not wish to restrict -myself to the precise details herein setforth. K 4

Having fully described myinvention what I claim as new and desire ters-Patent, is 1 V 1. In switch operating means',-the' combination with a switch rod, alongitudinally movablebar, means operative from a car for spring for returning said bar,"of a pivoted lever coiiperating' with the switch'r'od and having a central tooth and two lateral teeth at one'end thereof, a pivoted pointed trigto' secure "by Let- -moving said bar in one'di'rection,"and

ger mounted on said bar to cooperate with the'tooth'ed end of said lever, and 'a spring tending to move said trigger and to hold it in normal position. I r

2. In switch operating means, the combination with a switch rod, a longitudinally movable bar, and means operativefrom a car'to'move said her, of a toothedlever cooperating with the switch rod, a trigger piv'otedto said bar to coeperate with the beveled flange on said tongue, a projection on-the switch rod with which saidflange cooperates to lock. the switch, and means for ,moving said tongue to unlockthe switchi toothed lever, a spring tongue on said'bar, a 7

3. In switch operating means,1theeoinbination with a. switch rod, of a longitudinally movable bar comprising divided members and a springconnecting-said members, a pivoted lever cooperating with the switch rod, a trigger on the bar to cooperate With specification in the presence of two subscribsaid pivoted lever, a shaft having tWo arms, ing Witnesses.

a link connecting one of said arms with said T bar, a pivoted ramp having a part to engage AL DREW ALLARD' 5 the other arm on said shaft, and means oper- Witnesses:

ative from a car to engage the ramp. J B. BLACKBURN,

In testimony whereof, I have signed this WM. P. REDD.

Copies of this patent may the obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

